What to Expect

Want to ride one in one of the most beautiful and toughest rides in Oregon? Actually, want to ride one of the most beautiful rides in the world? If you said yes, then know we’re applauding, but also freaking out a little for you – Ride the Rim Crater Lake isn’t for the weak hearted. There’s a reason we caution participants to know what the route involves before committing to the challenge. But, if you’ve got the gall and the wattage to crank up some equally gorgeous and steep, long climbs, then Ride the Rim Crater Lake is also a heck of a lot of fun and a great way to experience Crater Lake National Park first hand.

Ride the Rim Crater Lake is taking place on September 8th and September 15th 2018, and jointly hosted by Crater Lake National Park and the Discover Klamath Visitor Center and Convention Bureau. The ride is a vehicle free way to experience East Rim Drive with approximately 25 miles and 3,500 feet of climbing.

East Rim Drive will be closed to vehicles from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm. During this time you can expect to see 5 rest stops on the route as well. WE DO NOT PROVIDE A SAG WAGON, so please come prepared to be able to repair a flat tire or tube specific to your bike. We will provide basic bike repair (but may not suite your bike) and first aid kits at the rest stops. Water will be provided in bulk so please bring refillable water bottles. Other amenities will also be provided at the rest stops which you can find under the Rider Guide section of the website.

The East Rim can take roughly 4 hours to complete, give or take an hour based on individual experience levels. Please plan accordingly and start at an appropriate time. Riders can choose to continue past the vehicle free portion and complete the entire Rim Drive, which makes the ride a total of 33 miles. The additional stretch of riding with traffic and no shoulder does have a significant incline in narrow switchbacks for a small section, but is a great accomplishment for those that complete it.

Vehicle Parking is located at the Steel Visitor Center, a larger parking lot, and North Junction, which has limited parking. When North Junction parking is full, you will be directed to park at the Steel Visitor Center. We highly recommend ride sharing if you know someone else attending.

While Crater Lake National Park is a family friendly environment, Ride the Rim strongly encourages families to research the difficulty of this ride to make the best determination whether children should ride with the family. This is a challenging ride best suited for intermediate level riders or greater.

What can riders expect the weather to be like? Anything and everything! In the past we’ve had sunny, windless days and snow, sleet, and hail on others. The point is, come ready for anything and check the weather before you come. And please, please, please wear sunscreen no matter what the weather looks like. Being at a higher elevation, you can burn even on the coolest of days.

Ride the Rim provides free bike corrals at North Junction and the Steel Visitor Center Rest Stops. Please follow instructions from volunteers at the rest stops if you wish to use the free bike corrals.

And lastly, Ride the Rim provides a FREE Shuttle service for participants to use. Shuttle pick up will be located at the Steel Visitor Center, Rim Village, and North Junction. Multiple Shuttles will be transporting participants throughout the duration of the event and will travel in both directions. The Shuttle Service accommodates up to 50 passengers per trip and DOES NOT transport bikes. Please use the bike corral to house your bike while you use the Shuttle to return to your vehicle.

We are excited you are interested in joining us at Ride the Rim Crater Lake. If you have further inquiries about Ride the Rim, please contact us at visit@meetmeinklamath.com.